Test optional admissions and student debt

Standardized tests were initially sold as a meritocratic way to determine college admission (Grodsky et al. 2008). However, standardized tests have come under increasing scrutiny. First, these tests are poor predictors of student performance (Hoffman and Lowitzki, 2005; Nettles et al., 2003). Second, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, students from lower SES (Socioeconomic Status) households and minority students score lower on standardized tests (Blau, Moller, and Jones, 2004; Camara and Schmidt, 1999; Freedle, 2003). Therefore, to attract a more diverse student body, many four-year colleges have switched to test-optional admissions policies. Though these policies vary by institution, most test-optional admissions policies do not require students to submit their test scores when applying to college (FairTest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, 2019). If these institutions are successful at attracting more lower SES students without altering the prices of attendance, the test-optional student body may accumulate more debt. Alternatively, these low SES students may receive more scholarship or financial support